JMU Dukes Outlast Georgia State in Overtime, 81-79 | Cliff Davis Scores Season-High 26 Points

HARRISONBURG, Va. – Cliff Davis tallied a season-high 26 points, and James Madison men’s basketball held on for an 81-79 overtime win over Georgia State on Thursday night at the Atlantic Union Bank Center. Justin McBride added 22 points for the Dukes.

JMU (13-13, 5-8 Sun Belt) led 70-66 with two minutes remaining in regulation, but Georgia State (9-17, 6-7 SBC) responded with four consecutive points to force the extra period. In overtime, Davis secured the victory for James Madison with a layup with eight seconds left, followed by a crucial defensive stop.

Davis’s performance surpassed his previous season high, as he connected on 6-of-10 shots from behind the arc and recorded a career-high five steals. McBride contributed with 10-of-18 shooting from the floor and a team-best nine rebounds, while Kose Egbule dished out a season-high seven assists.

Jelani Hamilton led Georgia State with 28 points and seven rebounds. Micah Tucker added 20 points and five assists for the Panthers, and Malachi Brown chipped in with nine points and five rebounds.

First Half: James Madison 41, Georgia State 33

After the score was tied at 13-13, Gabe Newhoff scored two baskets to give JMU a 17-15 lead going into the under-12 timeout. Davis then hit his third 3-pointer of the game to tie the score at 32 with four minutes left in the half. The Dukes closed the first half on a 12-1 run, extending their lead to 41-33.

Second Half: James Madison 70, Georgia State 70

Davis opened the second half with a steal and fast break layup, prompting a Georgia State timeout as the JMU lead grew to 13 points (54-41) with 15:21 left to play. Georgia State then mounted a 19-2 run, taking a 58-56 lead with 8:56 remaining. Following an and-one play by Justin McBride to bring the JMU lead to four, Micah Tucker responded with two baskets to tie the game with 16 seconds left.

Overtime

James Madison started the overtime period with an 8-3 run, establishing a 78-73 lead with 1:12 remaining. The Panthers tied the game at 79-79 on a 3-pointer from Hamilton with 38 seconds left. However, Davis answered with a go-ahead layup, giving the Dukes an 81-79 advantage. James Madison then secured a defensive stop to seal the victory.

Game Notes

JMU’s win over Georgia State marked their seventh consecutive victory against the Panthers, improving their overall record against them to 12-9. The Dukes also improved to 9-3 at home this season.

Davis’s 26-point performance was his ninth straight game with 10 or more points and his fourth game with 20 or more. Gabe Newhoff finished with 11 points, his eighth game in double figures, and a season-high nine rebounds.

This was JMU’s first overtime game since winning in double overtime at Kent State on November 9, 2023, improving their record to 1-2 in overtime games under Preston Spradlin. It was also the first overtime game played in the Atlantic Union Bank Center since the building opened in 2020.

Davis’s six 3-pointers brought his season total to 82, tying him with Humpty Hitchens for eighth on the JMU single-season three-pointers list. He needs three more to tie Stuckey Mosley’s record of 85. Davis also recorded his sixth game with five or more 3-pointers, joining Bryce Lindsay and Kyle Swanston as the only JMU players since 2004-05 to achieve that feat.